C'est pour la première fois qu'en qualité de Premier Ministre j'ai l'honneur dem'adresser à une institution européenne.

Ce n'est pas un hasard si je me présente devant l'Assemblée Parlementairedu Conseil de l'Europe.

En effet, vous représentez l'imminente institution pour le soutien et laprotection d'une véritable démocratie en Europe.

Vous êtes les mieux placés pour savoir que la démocratie ne se construitpas par des effets d'annonce, elles'obtient par des efforts assidus et une coopération constructive.

Je m'adresse à vous, car vous êtes à mon sens les meilleurs architectes dela démocratie européenne.

Etant à Strasbourg en tant que citoyen français, je ne pouvais pasm'abstenir de m'adresser à vous en français et maintenant je vais continuer engéorgien qui est ma langue maternelle.

You are theliving embodiment of Europe's dream of peaceful cooperation. You not onlyproject a vision. You work hard to make it happen. Throughthousands of projects, meetings and consultations each year, you are living thedemocratic ideal in day-to-day life.

In 1945,there were barely a dozen functioning democracies in Europe. Today 47countries, home to 800 million people,are joined in the Council of Europe, the world's oldest and largest bodydedicated to the cause of democracy. For many of you, this is anachievement which goes back many decades. The exhausted continent of 1949has become the most prosperous region on earth.

Georgiabecame the 41st member of the COE in 1999.

To mycountry, it is still a thrill to be here amongst you. We have come lateto the club of freedom, and we know we still have a long way to go. The election that brought my government power in October 2012, represented the precedent of thedemocratic transfer of power in my country.

That is whyI feel a huge sense of responsibility addressing you. I know that we areinexperienced with the practice of democracy. As we debate issues withour opponents at home, I can feel how hard it is for us sometimes to pull backfrom disputes and place our trust in the good will of the other side. Naturally, it would not be easy for you torelate to this.

Challengesthat Georgia faces today can be explained as follows. Our history has beendifficult. We live today in a difficult neighbourhood. Manychallenges of a globalized world are facing us. That is why we need yourhelp. We need the support of the many institutions of the Council ofEurope to help guide us through this transition.

While continuing that part of the reformsfrom the previous government, instituted during first years in power, whichhave been for the benefit of the country, we must also replace theauthoritarian structures of his later years with a modern, civil society.

In the recent years practically allfields were controlled by the ruling elite in Georgia, while the basic law of the country - theconstitution - was abused, being practically tailored to serve one man's ambitions. Elite corruption made no room whatsoever forbusinesses to develop. Human rights were ignored. Pressurewas deployed upon not only those holding different views, but their familiesand acquaintances as well. The mediawere mostly under control.

We have also begun a healing process, whichchannels deep anger and restores a sense of self-respect to our citizens. That includes indictments of some former officials for past crimes. But it alsoincludes keeping the thousands of loyal civil servants who have served the previous government.

This is why we work hard to ensure that ourpolicies are fully transparent. We facilitate the work of the Westernpress and NGO's in Georgia. We hope for as many visits by parliamentarydelegations as can be arranged.

At my request, the EU has appointed ThomasHammarberg, the former Council of Europe High Commissioner on Human Rights, asa Special Advisor for Legal and Constitutional Reform and Human Rights inGeorgia. Observers from the OSCE and other inter-governmental andnon-governmental organizations will monitor all investigations, prosecutionsand trials of former government officials to ensure that they comply withinternational norms.

Our Justice Minister, Ms. TeaTsulukiani is a veteran of the European Court of Human Rights and the list ofCOE bodies with which we cooperate is long. We are especially grateful tothe leaders of the Venice process who are helping with judicial reform. Weappreciate the debates in the Parliamentary Assembly as example for our ownpractices at home. We are working in many agencies and committees of theCOE to ensure that we meet the standards of this organization. We working inparticular on issues of minority rights which will help us transition to a newstage in ongoing relations with the COE.

This ongoingcooperation will be pursued with the greatest energy. But our democraticvision - our dream - for Georgia goes beyond these important details. Ihave read the history of the European movement carefully. I understandthat building a united Europe was above all a project of peace.

Looking backover the past century, one can see how recurring warfare was especiallydisastrous for small countries caught up in conflicts not of their making.Europe was once a battlefield where small countries were fighting and killingeach other. The award of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union wasin recognition of the historic achievement of Europe in building peace.

As you allknow, however, warfare has not been overcome completely. Smallcountries, in particular, continue to suffer from aggression. The clear example to that is my home country. Twenty percentof our territory was occupied by Russia in 2008. There are other conflicts thatendanger the peace in our region. I have to say that the Caucasusis yet not a zone of peace.

A specialchallenge will be to build relationships with our largest neighbour,Russia. With new pragmatic approach, we started bilateral dialogue withRussia. We are returning Georgianproducts to the Russian market. I can assure you that our position inrelations with Russia will be correct and yet principled. The appointmentof my special representative for relations with Russia clearly demonstratesthat we are willing to turn the page in dialogue.

We both have our own red lines, which neither of us intendsto cross. In 2010, Georgia unilaterally pledged non-use of force inconflict resolution process. This pledge was endorsed by the Parliament'sresolution on March7, 2013. The format of Geneva negotiations establishedafter the August 2008 war represents the only international format whereGeorgian and Russian diplomats hold negotiation with the participation ofinternational mediators.

In thischallenging process, Georgia needs international engagement and support morethan ever. The newly started dialogue between Tbilisi and Moscow should notcreate an impression, that Georgia is dealing with this problem on its own andno longer is in need of European partners support.

We will berealistic about Georgia's possibilities. We will recognize that Georgia is asmall regional power in a volatile neighborhood. No sustainable future can bebuilt by projecting military power. But there can be no progress towards peacein the region if Georgia is expected to abandon its legitimate interests,especially territorial integrity and the right of its citizens to return totheir homelands.

Regulation of these relations will benefit not only Georgiabut Caucasus in general as well. Our intention is to use the tools of civil society to help build peacein our region. Aboveall, we will focus on democracy as we believe that security, unity andprosperity of Georgia largely depends on the quality of your democracy.

I would liketo emphasize that Georgia's western aspirations - Euro-Atlantic integration -represent our strategic choice that has no alternative. This choice wasmade by the Georgian people long ago.

Georgia'sdecision to apply for membership in NATO represents above all a deep commitmentamong our people to live the values of the West. This commitment wasechoed in the Resolution on Basic Directions of Georgia's Foreign Policy,unanimously adopted by the Georgian Parliament.

Herewith, I would like to touch on current and planneddevelopments in the country. The government is working actively on theemployment policy. In this regard, we are improving the Labor Code tomeet European standards to the fullest extent possible. I believe thatthe state should play a decisive role in the development of business andprovide this field with development guarantees. Today business is freefrom political pressure, and soon we will see concrete, positive results interms of growth of investments.

We have already based utility rates on realistic calculationsand established fair rates. Cooperation and negotiations with ourpartners continue in this regard.

The Georgian Government is implementing a large-scaleagricultural reform, which is unprecedented for the country. A vital healthcarereform is also underway. The universal healthcare program has alreadybeen launched. At the following stage of this program, all citizens ofGeorgia will enjoy the benefits of the state universal medical insurancepackage, and this system will improve even further in the future. Building a country upon democratic values is impossible without freemedia. The journalist must be first to criticize the government andtherefore provide society with objective information. Our government isabsolutely open to media representatives and their objective appraisal andcriticism will benefit our work tremendously.

Reform of the judiciary is the cornerstone at insuring genuinedemocratic processes in the country. The initiated reform is based on therecommendations of the local civil society organizations and reflects commentsfrom the Venice Commission and Georgian Judicial branch. I believe Georgia hasa unique chance to establish a truly independent judicial system, free from theexecutive branch and free from the political influence and the government ofGeorgia is aimed at not to miss this chance.

The government pays special attention to the integration ofethnic minorities in Georgian society, so that they may feel at home inGeorgia. We will remain to be a country where differentconfessions coexisted for centuries.

Empowerment of local self-governments is one of preconditionsfor their integration in Georgian society. You will be aware of the highlyemotional background in local self-government bodies following the Octoberelection. Throughout the years, the public at large has witnessed onepolitical force dominate all levels of government, and to this day societyfinds it difficult to comprehend a new reality when different political forcesare decision makers at different levels.

The replacement on national level of the previouslydominating political force instilled a sense among the local population that asimilar replacement of that force was inevitable in local self-governments.There is also an unfortunate tradition that local officials in the regionschange their party belonging in favor of the ruling party on such situations.Also this time, a number of actions in this context soon became chaotic andeven exceeded legal boundaries in some cases.

The Georgian Government is committed to theconstitutional principles of separation of powers, including the independenceof local self-government bodies. At the same time, as a ruling political team,we are obliged to address adequately violations of law. I would like toemphasize that the Georgian Government and law enforcements will deploy legallystipulated measures to address all instances of use of force, pressure, orintimidation, should such instancesoccur.

Mr. President, as we enter our sixth monthin office, the Georgian Dream coalition has already established a solid recordof achievement. Our program to build civil society is well underway, theeconomy is returning to a solid foundation, recent polls show that the votersare increasingly supportive to theirgovernment, we are making steady progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration andthere have even been a few small steps forward in relations with Russia.

Perhaps most encouraging is the fact thatafter a rough beginning, we are starting to apply lessons from the Council ofEurope on how to build consensus with former adversaries.

I am confident that Georgia has finallyturned the corner. Our election victory in October was an important next steptowards sustainable democracy. Success at this task will be of greatimportance to the Georgia people. I am certain also that it will help usmake an important contribution to the project for peace, which is theunderlying foundation of the European ideal.